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KTLA Telecopter No. 1Preview


rkolsen

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Heres a video from KTLA’s first live public demonstration of their Telecopter. A pretty amazing feat in 1958. Unfortunately in the beginning it tried to land with the antenna down. Amazed that the Angela didn’t break. Can’t imagine the RF power needed to transmit back then.

 

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Heres a video from KTLA’s first live public demonstration of their Telecopter. A pretty amazing feat in 1958. Unfortunately in the beginning it tried to land with the antenna down. Amazed that the Angela didn’t break. Can’t imagine the RF power needed to transmit back then.

 

 

That antenna was custom made so they had no choice but to repair it. The power needed to transmit was only 1-10 watts. Remember It's all line of site...but that antenna was an omni. The general rule is you use the lowest power possible...that rule hold to this day with microwave operators

 

I have a copy of the original design and construction plans including the KTLA engineering memos of TC-1... but it's in PDF and I have been unable to post it here.. it's on the net.

 

Telecopter #1 was secretly built in a back yard in the San Fernando valley...and moved on a trailer around to the various build and test sites.

 

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Were LA stations already using helicopters at the time. Albeit with film and however long it took to get back to the station and process it?

 

Nothing except for the occasional rental of an airplane for some aerials. Nothing on a regular basis.

 

Helicopters were still kinda new for civilian use. Weight is a real serious issue. TC-1 had to pack about 400lbs of gear onto a piston platform...and it was all custom built. Vibration and cooling to electronics (tubes) were major considerations also. More transmit power meant more weight.

 

Telecopter 1 pictured here with the "SCU" Special Coverage Unit on top of Mt.Wilson 1958.

 

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